Marginalisation or mobilisation through electromobility? Depicting the pharmakon nature of Chinese EV battery investments in Hungary

Abstract

This study, drawing on Sheller’s multi-scalar approach to mobility justice, Urry’s approach to mobilities as interconnected networks, and the worlds on the move concept of this special issue examines how Chinese investments in EV battery production in Hungary generate a range of mobility injustices at transnational, national and local levels. While locally produced Chinese batteries may significantly contribute to the EU’s climate goals and Hungary’s economic growth through job creation and automotive transformation, they also risk imposing environmental burdens and social tensions that may offset these climate and economic gains, generating distributive, environmental, and labour-related mobility injustices across multiple scales. To address the dichotomous nature of Chinese EV battery projects in Hungary, this study critically examines mobility justice within the interplay of Chinese capital, Hungarian territory and labour, techno-optimistic visions of energy transition, and the socioeconomic inequalities that render affordable Chinese brands desirable in Europe. By focusing on cases of Chinese EV battery investments in Hungary and employing a combination of expert interviews, media content and document analysis, this paper explores the multi-layered impacts of these investments and offers a nuanced understanding of the intricate dynamics shaping contemporary transitions to electromobility.